“One, Two, Three Canada!” shouted the U-17 women’s team as they broke their huddle, and took the field to face Guatemala at the 2013 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship.
It didn’t take long for Canada, dressed in red, to get down to business. “We had a game plan and stuck with it,” said striker and player of the match Emily Borgmann, who was making her national team debut.
The first goal, of what would be an 8-0 thumping, came in the 10th minute, when Borgmann crossed the ball for teammate Marie Mychèle Mètivier. The striker beat her marker, stretching out her leg to redirect the ball and give Canada the lead.
While Canada took quick control of the match, Guatemala, dressed in white, with a blue sash, had their chances. Thanks primarily to the efforts of number 10, Aisha Solòrzano.
The Guatemalan forward, won key individual battles, entering dangerous areas but Canada’s defense managed to close her down before she could shoot.
Soon after, Canada would strike again. Borgmann beating the keeper, between the legs, following a pass from mid-fielder Sarah Kinzner that sent her in alone on net.
From here, Canada never looked back. Taking advantage of Guatemala’s lack of pressure, the defense was able to help the midfield control the match and when possible send the strikers breaking towards net.
What followed was a wave of pressure that resulted in a strong individual effort by Mètivier. Breaking down the left-field line, the striker cut in on goal, shooting the ball into the right corner, just at the keeper charged to close down the angle.
Canada was now up 3-0 and would keep coming after the break.
Captain Jessie Fleming would open the scoring in the second-half, after Levasseur cut the ball back for her to shoot from the top of the 18-yard box.
Fleming deserves credit for the goal as well as a the strong performance in the midfield, along with Kinzner. Together they linked up well with Borgmann, who in the 58th created yet another breakaway, this time for Marie Levasseur, to put Canada up 5-0.
Levasseur would score again in dying minutes of the match, but in between substitute Nadya Gill would score a brace in 80th and 86th. Gill’s first goal was perhaps her best. Running down the right-field line, the striker managed to fend of her defender long enough to chip the keeper.
It was a wonderful individual effort that sent her into the arms of her teammates.
Although the match was out of reach, Guatemala kept pressing, but could only generate four shots throughout the game and none of them tested Canada’s keeper, Rylee Ann Foster. Canada, on the other hand, managed to generate 23 shots, and could have added more to the final 8-0 tally.
Canada’s next match is on Saturday against Trinidad and Tobago at 1:30 p.m. PT. Followed by a match against the US on Monday, at 5 p.m. PT, in what may prove to be the deciding game in Group B.
Matches can be seen live on Sportnet.ca.
